This invention relates to a plug assembly including a plug having a handle part and a contact part protruding therefrom, as well as a conforming socket for receiving the plug.
During manipulation of such plugs which generally constitute the terminal of an electric cable, there exists the danger of accidental touching, for example, with the hand or with electrically conductive surfaces. At high voltages such occurrences may result in dangerous electrical shocks or short circuits.
According to earlier technical solutions of the above safety problem, as disclosed, for example, in German Utility Model Patents Nos. 7,431,857 and 7,441,848, the contact part of the plug is enclosed by a displaceable sleeve. Such solutions, however, do not provide for an absolutely safe protection against contact and are technically relatively complicated, so that they substantially increase the price of such plugs.